title: High-speed atomic force microscopy combined with inverted optical microscopy for studying cellular events.
abstract: A hybrid atomic force microscopy (AFM)-optical fluorescence microscopy is a powerful tool for investigating cellular morphologies and events. However, the slow data acquisition rates of the conventional AFM unit of the hybrid system limit the visualization of structural changes during cellular events. Therefore, high-speed AFM units equipped with an optical/fluorescence detection device have been a long-standing wish. Here we describe the implementation of high-speed AFM coupled with an optical fluorescence microscope. This was accomplished by developing a tip-scanning system, instead of a sample-scanning system, which operates on an inverted optical microscope. This novel device enabled the acquisition of high-speed AFM images of morphological changes in individual cells. Using this instrument, we conducted structural studies of living HeLa and 3T3 fibroblast cell surfaces. The improved time resolution allowed us to image dynamic cellular events.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plasma Membrane and Nuclear Signaling, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Nobuaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Aiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Yoshitsugu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uekusa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imaoka
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karaki
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeyasu
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D002477:Cells; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*